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Tuesday, July 18, 2006

DVDillema

On the plus side, I love having a steady job. It means steady income again.

On the down side, I hate having a steady job. It means a constant trickle of everyday expenses that eats into the disposable income.

Of course, I'm lamenting this today because it's Tuesday...the day of new DVDs.

What I'm looking at right now and seriously wondering if I should blow the money on it is Jack of All Trades: The Complete Series. It's one of the funniest action shows ever made.

The year is 1801. The always fantastic Bruce Campbell plays Jack Stiles, the best secret agent in the still-very-new USA. Stiles latest mission has him sent to the Carribean island of Palau Palau, where his mission is to sabotage the schemes of the French governor and thus slow the advance of Napoleon across the globe. Stiles decided the best way to do that was to don the guise of the Zorro-like hero the Daring Dragoon. And, of course, he was joined in his mission by the super-sexy British spy Emily Rothschilde, who was a more conventional spy and saboutour.

The show was briefly on in 1999 and 2000. It (along with the sci-fi opus Cleopatra 2525) was cooked up to be the replacement to Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. It didn't last long...just barely 2 season and 22 episodes.

And all those episodes are available today, spread over 3 discs. Also out today is Amazing Stories: Season One.

Let me fill you in on a little pop culture history. Back in the mid-1980s, when he was arguably at his creative peak, Steven Spielberg had an idea for an anthology show...something akin to The Twilight Zone or even The Wonderful World of Disney. Every week, you'd get something new and different.

Spielberg recruited several big-name directors to do episodes, including Joe Dante, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorcese, Irvin Kirshner, and even himself.

While it was adored by critics and developed a cult following, it never caught on, and ended after two seasons.

But now, season one is out today!

I, personally, am waiting for season 2. Season 2 contains the animated episode Family Dog, which was directed by the one, the only, Brad Bird. Yup, the guy who did The Incredibles and The Iron Giant. It was his first, shall we say, professional work as a director.

It even boasted character designs by Tim Burton.And then, for your hit of 80s nostalgia, today is also the release of The Best of She-Ra: Princess of Power.

This is the first wave of the adventures of Adora, twin sister of Prince Adam, as she leads the rebellion on the planet Etheria against the brutal rule of Hordak. And, when the fighting gets tough, Adora calls upon the power of Greyskull to become She-Ra!

The Best of She-Ra: Princess of Power is a 2-disc set. Disc 1 contains the theatrical The Secret of the Sword, which chronicled He-Man's quest to Etheria to find his twin sister and make her face her destiny. Disc 2 contains the top 5 episodes, as chosen by He-Man/She-Ra fans.

Following the pattern of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe DVDs, the boxed sets of She-Ra will begin around Christmastime.